Old Pac Hwy - new speed limit

[Hoya]

This used to be a good alternative bit of road to the boring freeway, but morons have been ruining it for the majority. I seem to recall someone posting a video here of some idiot reversing or doing a u-turn on a blind corner?

Anyway I'm not going to take this scenic route to the CC any more. Why? http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=468888

no more fun there! :mad:

[ChrisMaz]

:eek:

40km/h is a little extreme...

Pretty bad stretch of road?

[Hoya]

:eek:

40km/h is a little extreme...

Pretty bad stretch of road?
not that bad, all it is going to do is make the gov money which it is very short of atm :p

[mania]

It was safe at 100kmh a few years ago, now 41kmh is dangerous? Because drivers are now so stupid they perform blind u-turns?

[Brazza]

lower speed limits are not the solution for safer roads and this is just ridiculous... I've seen way more hazardous roads with limits of 100.

Bloody money hungry govt. I'm just thankful that this is nowhere near me...

[Jerram]

lower speed limits are not the solution for safer roads and this is just ridiculous... I've seen way more hazardous roads with limits of 100.

Bloody money hungry govt. I'm just thankful that this is nowhere near me...

yeah we have the good ole' qld cops

I must say though, they're a lot better then the southerners.

I remember I was talking to a copper once and he said that they had to make up a "quota" of fines over a particular period - so what they usually did was be hard ass until they had their quota, and then just let stuff slide until the end of the period.

[Brazza]

I remember I was talking to a copper once and he said that they had to make up a "quota" of fines over a particular period - so what they usually did was be hard ass until they had their quota, and then just let stuff slide until the end of the period.

My brother was one of the lucky ones. He had coppers tailing him in an unmarked 4wd ute of all things and they reckon he was swerving on the road and doing 80 in a 60 but he "got away with it" because they'd met their qota...

Dunno if they embellished a little bit there with the swerving but it still shows that they don't seem particularly interested in curbing dangerous driving...

[rjastra]

And the Royal National Park will be next...

The overtaking areas in the RNP are being removed and without doubt sections will have their limit reduced.

[gman]

I used to drive the OPH home from work every night for 6 years!!!! Looks like never again!!! Even though I live so far away, I really feel for those people that live on the road and have to use it everyday at 40 KPH!!!!

At 40KPH its dangerous!!! What a load of *&^%$!!!!!!

I still can't understand the rationale that dictates that roads that were safe 10 or 20 years ago in cars that were 20 to 30 years older than what we have now have all the sudden become death sentences to all and sundry who choose to travel on them!!!

100 or 90 on the F3!!! 40 on the OPH!!!! Seriously WTF!!!!! :mad2::mad2::mad2:

[rjastra]

I still can't understand the rationale that dictates that roads that were safe 10 or 20 years ago in cars that were 20 to 30 years older than what we have now have all the sudden become death sentences to all and sundry who choose to travel on them!!!

100 or 90 on the F3!!! 40 on the OPH!!!! Seriously WTF!!!!! :mad2::mad2::mad2:

LOL I see your logic... but 40 yrs ago people didn't think twice about smoking, drink driving or not wearing a seatbelt ;) And buy the way, significant portions of that part of the OPH were 80km/h from way way back. The double lane (well it used to be) nearv Mt White was the 100km/h section (to allow people to finally over take others). The bit from Brooklyn up to Pie in the sky was always < 100km/h. You could until recently vaguely see the 45 mph (80kmh) etchings on the road!

The speed drop is simply to get the motorcyclists and other hoons off the road (ps I used to love that road on my motorbike). Book someone doing 80 in a 40 zone and they are effectively off the road for x number of months (see the devious logic !)

As for the locals... Most live close to the brooklyn exit of the freeway. The next houses are near the Mt White exit. So they can use the freeway to move about with little issue.

Personally I think its all a bit draconian and will just move the "problem" to other areas like Wisemans Ferry, Royal national park and Putty Road.

Anytime I want to go for a ride to Wollombi I do OPH down to brooklyn... get back on the freeway and ride up to the peats ridge exit. Much easier and more fun than pottering along at 60.

[mania]

The speed drop is simply to get the motorcyclists and other hoons off the road (ps I used to love that road on my motorbike). Book someone doing 80 in a 40 zone and they are effectively off the road for x number of months (see the devious logic !)

The devious logic? :
Make the speed limits lower then the speed -any- driver would want to go - forcing most off the road.
Anyone who remains on the road, and drives on it at a sensible speed, is clearly driving just because it's a nicer drive then the major roads.
Take the cars off those people, in line with the policy on stamping out any form of pleasure from driving.

Our policy makers make me sad :(.

[gman]

LOL I see your logic... but 40 yrs ago people didn't think twice about smoking, drink driving or not wearing a seatbelt

Hmmm...Interesting analogies...I am going to assume your taking the "Speed is the devil incarnate" stance that you have before. If I am mistaken please stop reading now and I apologise... :)

However,

Last time I checked, cigarettes, alcohol or the act of driving without a restraint (physical restraints such as a seatbelt, not restraint such as slow and calm) hadn't advanced technologically nor become safer with time.

Alcohol is still alcohol and still has the same effects on motor functions, judgement and physiology. People have just now realised how much of an effect it can have, yet people still drink alcohol (some to excess).

Cigarettes still have carcenoges and nicotine and cause the same issues, we just know more about them so fewer people choose to smoke, however some still do.

Driving without a seatbeat is very marginally safer than it was 40 years ago thanks to airbags and other advances in automotive manufacturing, however airbags & safety cells only help so much when your flying around a steel cage whilst decelerating from 100kph.

However, the car as a mode of transport has advanced significantly in the past 40 years from what was essentially a motorised steel box to an intergrated transport system that features ABS, SRS, ESP, Airbags (pick a number, some cars have 10+), crumple zones, engine dive plates etc etc etc.

Using the analogy of "smoking was thought safe 40 years ago" to compare side by side with the comparison of the advances in automotive design and safety attributes of a modern car vs. one of the era you mentioned (late 1950 to early 1960's) is naivety at its extreme.

Perhaps I have read your post incorrectly, and if so I apologise, however it seems that wherever someone posts something that seems to be slightly in opposition to current draconian policy direction of the NSW government, RTA or similar you always seem to find fault with it.

People have their opinions and rightfully allowed to express them, I just find these situations hard not to respond to....

There should be no other reason than logic for the mandating of speed limits. By increasing the travel times by lowering speed limits under what is acceptably safe you increase that chances of accidents, Thats scientifically proven.

Roads are there for roads users, not revenue raising. What concerns me now is when there is an accident on the F3 and traffic is diverted, cars will now have to move along the OPH at 40kph rather than 60 to 80 as before.

The bikers will go elsewhere as you said, the road will fall in to further dis-repair and revenue will be raised as those that use it day to day as an option over the F3 get caught out.

Personally, I agree with the sentiments of the posts from the other forum, people just seem to roll over to easily on these things.

It would have been better to actually get those responsible for doing illegal u-turns, bikers speeds/boy racers, bicyclists taking up more than needed of the road. The difference is that is active policing of the roads.

The Passive approach of book them for speeding is easier, costs less and raises more revenue.

A stationary camera car or a cop sitting in his car hiding in a driveway/behind a tree/up a lane doing nothing until the gun goes off is easier and cheaper.

Pity that this approach just continues to put the police in a further bad light with the general public, where as a visible presence might actually achieve something and have the opposite effect.

[rjastra]

Hmmm...Interesting analogies...I am going to assume your taking the "Speed is the devil incarnate" stance that you have before. If I am mistaken please stop reading now and I apologise... :)



Did you miss the smiley? :)

and further.... the Governments have seen a declines in fatalities due to reduced limits, mandatory seatbelts, speed cameras, breath testing.

To attain their silly reduction projections they have to keep tightening the screws.

When the road toll drops they take the glory... when it rises they blame us :)

[ASTRAY]

anyone else had the thought that maybe the gov dont want to repair a road that is no longer a major hwy, and has a newer alternative (f3)

id say they dont want to fork out the cash, so they lower the limit.
the road might still be safe for 80-100km, but in years to come your gonna be alot safer hitting pot holes at 40km instead of 100km, and have alot more time to dodge them.

up my way there are small sections of the oph that are still open and have 60-80km limits.
then there are the sections that have been left to rot, other than very small patches of tar that have lines on them, its all dirt and gravel ressembling a fire trail bush track.

i have travelled the section of road you guys are talking about, but i too think 40km is way too low, maybe 60-70 would be more fitting.
maybe the gov just have no intentions on fixing the road if/when it comes into a state of needing repair, and they are just lowering the limit to suit its condition.

we all know police are opportunistic, id say they get memos when road limits are changed, and they were just trying to cash in on peoples confusion.

there are numerous roads here in port that were changed from 60 down to 50 about 2 years ago, pacific drive, lake road, for those of you who know port. main roads with loads of traffic, and yep the cops were there straight after the changes. yet out the back of wauchope, through twists and turns and 90 degree corners the speed signs say 100 or 80.

about 4 years ago i got done for going through a stop sign, ok now that is pretty stupid, going through a stop sign, but look at this map of the area where it happened...

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s33/jaysastra04/untitledhttg.jpg

when turning right from intersection A you have absolutely no view of traffic coming from your left, there are cars parked in the centre blocking any view, yet you have a give way sign. i very rarely use this intersection when heading this way because i feel it is dangerous. it is also often that you start leaving the intersection and a car comes flying around the corner from the right.

when approaching intersection B you have a very very good view of traffic coming from all directions, yet it has a stop sign.

WTF!?!
no it doesnt make sense, but the police love it!
they rent out 2 hotel rooms, 1 in each of both of the big white buildings in circle b, they have a video camera set up in each, and they lay in waiting for someone to breach the stop sign. i was in the officers words, doing about 40km when i went through the stop sign. i was turning left.


sorry, i know this topic is about the oph and road limits, i just wanted to point out some other craziness the rta etc seem to suffer from. :)

[Hoya]

hahaha looks like they love to ruin peoples hoilday plans

[rjastra]

The piece of the OPH in question is important. It is used as a bypass if there are any major accidents on the F3.

[Hoya]

The piece of the OPH in question is important. It is used as a bypass if there are any major accidents on the F3.
lol, i bet you could get home faster sitting in the traffic on the F3 rather then going the bypass! :p